Santa Monica is a beautiful city, nestled at the edge of Los Angeles. With a perfect beach, a beautiful boardwalk, great shopping, and a more compact and friendly vibe–at least compared to the sprawl of freeways and driving that is the City of Angels–Santa Monica truly has a lot to offer. Let’s dive in!
I parked and walked along the main shopping street, looking for my friend.
We found each other and got a decent veggie burger at Burgerlounge. Our first choice–a vegetarian place next door–was thronged with people. The fact that a burger place has a lot less customers than a vegetarian place speaks volumes about Santa Monica’s healthy vibe. 
We left and continued to explore.
Along the way, a street performer dressed as a tree snuck up behind this woman, who, thankfully, took the joke with good humor.
We took a pathway down to the beach, and checked out…
…these amazing beachside houses.
A similar house was recently on the market for 7 Million.
With views of the beach, the ocean, and the pier in the distance, that price isn’t surprising.
We headed over to the pier, which has its own spectacular view.
On the pier we watched a large group of swimmers, and beachgoers lounging.
With carnival rides, ice cream, and fast food, this was a true all-American experience. 
There was even a rollercoaster!
We were hot and sweaty, so we hit up Stickhouse, an artisinal gelato-on-a-stick place
I had the avocado–the green bar near the center.
We moved on, seeing a massive amount of Nike and New Balance shoes…
A great Kitson store…
And of course, Nasty gal–which my girlfriend loves.
On the way back to the car I noticed a place called “WeWork” and decided to check it out. Basically, it is a hip, open office, where members can do work and socialize with other freelancers, entrepreneurs, and creatives. It was a truly impressive place. 
Free coffee, water, beer and wine are included in the monthly membership fee. 
People were friendly, and my friend struck up a friendship with a guitar playing member.
Santa Monica feels like a place where everything is perfect. Shopping is great, the food is healthy, the people were open, and the beach was fantastic. If I had to choose a place to live in the LA area, this would definitely be near the top of the list. The only fault is the cost, with million dollar houses nearly everywhere, and rent unaffordable for most. Practical considerations like that keep this dream out of reach for many. But those lucky enough to live here truly are living in paradise.
